All posts tagged Economic Data

The year may almost be over, but the economic data are still rolling in. The Commerce Department on Tuesday could upgrade its estimate for economic output during the third quarter, the latest in a string of impressive readings on U.S. growth.

The government’s last official estimate said gross domestic product, the broadest measure of goods and services produced across the economy, expanded at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.9% last quarter. Read More »

The reports are front-loaded in the coming week to allow for financial markets and the U.S. government to close for Christmas. Before Santa comes down the chimney, reports on home sales, sentiment and other data will be released. Will they bring holiday cheer to economy-watchers? Read More »

Japan said Wednesday its gross domestic product shrank 6.8% in annualized terms in the April-June quarter, underscoring how sharply the world’s third-largest economy reversed course after a rise in the sales tax to 8% from 5% on April 1.

Two gauges of China’s manufacturing activity picked up in October, showing that an economic rebound in the third quarter hasn’t run out of momentum yet. The official purchasing managers’ index rose to 51.4, from 51.1 in September, and the competing poll from HSBC and Markit Economics which gives more weight to small businesses climbed to 50.9 from 50.2. Any number above 50 indicates expansion, so that looks like good news for the world’s second-largest economy. But digging through the data behind those headline figures, some analysts are less optimistic.

Tempting as it is, investors probably shouldn’t make too much just yet of the flurry of good economic news coming from the euro zone.

Not only is there still plenty of scope for member countries to shoot themselves and their neighbors in the foot, but the single currency’s most fundamental problem–its internal trade imbalances–are yet to be resolved. Read More »

For anyone growing giddy about the euro zone’s economic recovery, the latest industrial production data released Thursday will have hit them like a dose of smelling salts.

The positive tenor of recent surveys and data was undermined by a particularly gloomy set of numbers. July industrial production fell 1.5% on the month following a 0.6% increase in June, and was down 2.1% on the year. The total output level was the lowest since April 2010. Read More »

When the financial crisis hit, one surprise was the way “the market” didn’t work, or more accurately wasn’t allowed to work.

Economics textbooks suggest that when, say, some banks begin to fail, they close down and their competitors pick up their business and are stronger as a result. The market equivalent of survival of the fittest. In fact, the opposite happened. Read More »

Global markets’ dependence on China is only exceeded by their dependence on the Federal Reserve. The conflicting signals coming from each is likely to keep things in balance for a little while longer–at least until domestic factors take over.